Teach Me to Forget
by Aurelia206
Summary: Klaine AU - A college-age Kurt is pursuing his dreams at NYADA, but high school trauma and a relationship gone wrong have made him give up on romance. Can Rachel's curly-haired co-star break down his walls, or will Kurt shut him out? Trigger warnings: non-con (non-explicit), emotional and sexual abuse.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

A/N: Back in the day I was a huge Klaine fan (especially with Season 2 Blaine and the Warblers) and I've recently re-found my love for them. I'm not sure how active this fandom still is, but I couldn't get this fanfiction idea out of my head. Its AU, but with lots of cannon plot elements. Hopefully that's not to confusing. I'll try to make the differences clear in the story, but to start off Blaine is two years older than Kurt, and they didn't meet in high school. Jesse and the New Directions also didn't meet. Finn is still alive, but he and Rachel are broken up and he won't play a large role in the story. Also its set in 2018 instead of cannon timeline (mostly so I could include Hamilton references).

Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.

"Home sweet, home," Rachel called out perkily as she slid open the door of their Bushwick loft, pulling her pink suitcase with her. Kurt trailed behind her with less enthusiasm, a knot twisting in his stomach. Two years ago, Kurt never could have imagined wanting to stay in Lima, but now returning to New York meant returning to memories that he'd rather not have. Unfortunately, Rachel noticed his gloomy expression. "Are you going to be okay while I'm at work this week? I mean classes don't start until next week and Santana won't be back until then either, so you'll be here alone all day-"

"I don't need a babysitter Rachel," Kurt cut her off, sounding harsher then he intended.

"I didn't mean it like that Kurt…" Rachel's eyes held a sorrowful expression and Kurt immediately felt guilty. "I'm just worried about you. Spencer," Kurt flinched a little at his name, "he turned you into a ghost. After you broke up with him you just…"

Kurt knew what she was thinking, but didn't want to say. He had fallen apart last fall. He probably wouldn't have left his room if Santana hadn't dragged him out of there every morning. And he definitely would have failed his classes if Rachel hadn't insisted on walking to class with him, even when her classes were on the other side of campus and forced him into practice rooms and sang half of duets until he final joined in. Kurt sighed, pulling her into a hug, "I know, but I'll be okay, I promise. I'll pick up some shifts at the diner, so I won't be at home all day. And thank you…for everything."

Rachel clung on to him. "Of course…that's what friends are for," she murmured.

When Kurt finally pulled away, it looked like Rachel wanted to continue the conversation, but before she could Kurt declared, "I'm exhausted and I'm sure my clothes are wrinkling. I'm going to unpack then go to bed," walking off before she could protest.

As Blaine packed up his messenger bag at the end of the day he couldn't keep the grin off his face. He'd been beyond nervous to start his new job – a lead role in an off-Broadway show and his first major role since graduating from NYADA in the spring, but even after the first rehearsal he could tell it was going to be amazing. The plot of a recently engaged lesbian and her estranged bisexual little brother (Blaine's character) reconnecting as they both struggle to come out to their conservative Catholic family was heartfelt, and the director – a young rising star in the Broadway world – was brilliant.

Blaine was torn from his thoughts by a tap on the shoulder. He glances up to see the petite brunette who plays one of his character's love interests. "Um hi, its Rachel, right?" he says.

"Yes, its Rachel, Rachel Berry. Given our obvious vocal chemistry and the steamy romance between our characters, I was wondering if you would like to get dinner and you know…get to know each other better…" she says flirtatiously her hand lingering on his shoulder.

 _Is she really hitting on me by talking about our "vocal chemistry?"_ Blaine wondered."Um… I'm really flattered, but I'm actually gay," Blaine said with what he hoped was a sympathetic smile, but probably came off as a grimace.

"Oh…I probably should have guessed…" Rachel replied awkwardly, smile faltering, "Then what about getting dinner as friends…since we're going to be working together," she said, recovering her bright smile.

"Yeah, that sounds great. What about tomorrow after work?" Blaine was glad she'd taken the rejection well, that could have been awkward.

"Tomorrow it is!" Rachel responded before bouncing off cheerfully.

"… so, while I always imagined by professional debut would be as the star in a revival of _Funny Girl_ or _Evita_ or maybe _Oklahoma_ I realized that this is better, originating a new character. People won't be comparing me to anyone else, just appreciating my talent for what it is," Rachel rambled on over dinner.

 _Rachel is intense…_ Blaine thought. _Not necessarily in a bad way, it's just a lot to take in._ _She reminds me of Jesse_. The conversation flowed more naturally once Rachel stopped talking about her career ambitions and they began gushing over favorite musicals and pop icons. When Blaine mentioned they that he grew up in Ohio and sang with the Warblers, Rachel practically squealed with excitement. "What are the chances!" she exclaimed, "It's probably for the best that you graduated before we competed against the Warblers, I probably would have hated you as the talented lead singer of our rival." Rachel pauses for a minute, then suddenly blurts out, "Was it hard for you, growing up gay in Ohio?" her eyes big and serious. Blaine just gapes at her, surprise by this suddenly serious turn in the conversation. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to pry its just…my best friend, he's gay and we went to high school together and I know it was so hard for him. I wish I had done more, I mean I sang this one duet with him when he was lonely, and I tried to get my boyfriend to beat up his bully, but I just wish…" the words come tumbling out with remarkable speed and sincerity and Blaine feels a sudden rush of affection towards Rachel.

"It was hard," Blaine says bluntly with a grim smile, "I actually transferred to Dalton after the bullying at my first school got too bad. But once I got to Dalton I had friends that showed me that I could be happy, proud of who I am. You seem to care a lot about your friend, just make sure he knows that. That's what matters most."

Rachel grasped his hand from across the table, then as suddenly as she had started the conversation, she switched back to talking about her favorite movie musicals. The stayed at the restaurant until the waitress pointedly asked, for a third time, if they were ready to pay. When Blaine finally headed back to his apartment he felt as if he had know Rachel for months instead of merely a few hours.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Kurt inhaled the scent of his non-fat mocha as he carried it back to his seat. The downside of living on the other side of the city from NYADA was that he couldn't go home when he had awkward two-hour breaks between classes, but today stopping by his favorite coffee shop provided a much need pick-me-up from what had been a stressful first week of classes. Too engrossed in his thoughts, Kurt didn't notice the man in a suit hurrying towards him with no intention of stopping – clearly a wall-street type – until it was late. The collision nearly knocked him off his feet, but someone – not the man he had run into, he kept barreling forwards – steadied him by his elbows. Kurt looked up to see a young man with gorgeous honey-colored eyes and gelled down curls wearing a collared shirt with a bowtie under a dark green sweater that was covered in coffee. _Shit, I spilled coffee on him_ , Kurt realized with a start. "Oh no! Your sweater… I'm so sorry!" Kurt exclaimed.

"Don't worry, its not your fault. That jerk nearly knocked you over!" the man replied good-naturedly.

"At least let me help you clean up," Kurt said, grabbing the man's forearm and pulling him towards the bathroom. Kurt worked on instinct, ordering the man to take off his sweater (he complied, stunned by Kurt's commanding demeanor), fishing throw his satchel to find stain remover, and working the coffee out of the sweater in the sink. Once he was satisfied with his work, he handed the wet, but clean sweater back to the still stunned man.

"How did you do that? I thought for sure it would stain," the stranger asked incredulously.

"I went to high school in a conservative town. The jocks enjoyed throwing slushies at gays and glee kids. Seeing how I was both I got really good at removing stains. I still keep the stain remover in my bag because you never know when a fashion emergency might occur," Kurt replied.

"I'm sorry you had to deal with that," the man replied. The sincerity in his voice and his eyes made Kurt's breath catch in his throat momentarily before he caught himself. _Stop swooning over him!_ Kurt chastised himself, _you don't do romance, not anymore_.

"Well don't be too sorry. I saved your sweater," Kurt shot back lightly.

The man seemed taken aback by Kurt's blasé comments, but he recovered quickly. "Can I buy you a drink as an apology for running into you? My name's Blaine by the way." The was a flirtatious undercurrent in his voice that did inexplicable things to Kurt's stomach. _No,_ Kurt reminded himself, _you don't do flirting. Remember where that leads?_

"I'm Kurt. And I should be the one apologizing. I ran into you," Kurt replied sharply.

"Then how about as your apology you let me buy you a drink?" Blaine was definitely flirting now. Kurt was about to make up some excuse about having to leave, but he made the mistake of looking into Blaine's pleading, puppy-dog eyes and suddenly "no" was no longer in his vocabulary.

"If you insist," Kurt replied. _What are you thinking Hummel?! You shouldn't be doing this,_ Kurt cursed himself. But despite his internal protests Kurt found himself chatting with Blaine for the next hour. He learned that Blaine had graduated from NYADA and was rehearsing for an off-Broadway play and in turn shared his own Broadway ambitions. And even as the voice in his head told him not to, he found himself giving Blaine his number before he left, hurrying off to the class which he was now late for.

Blaine cheerfully hummed to himself as he returned to rehearsal from his lunch break, carrying a still wet sweater. He thoughts were filled with the young man he had met at the coffee shop. His friends always teased him for developing feelings to quickly, but when it came to Kurt, he couldn't help himself. Not only was he stunning, but he was funny and clever, and he shared Blaine's passion for musical theater. He was probably getting ahead of himself, but he couldn't stop himself from daydreaming about sharing romantic dinners and dates to the theater with Kurt.

Blaine was pulled out of his thoughts when he entered the theater to find a sullen-looking Rachel waiting for him. "Are you okay?" Blaine asked.

"You know that Tinder date I had last night? Well he stood me up. This is the third time that has happened! I didn't realize dating as an adult would be so hard. I thought now that I'm single and living in New York with a real acting gig, guys would be all over me, but I had more suitors back in high school!" Rachel ranted.

Blaine sighed sympathetically. He'd only know Rachel two weeks, but they were becoming close friends and Rachel was quite a talker, so he knew all about her on again, off again romance with her ex-fiancé, Finn (who she was apparently still close friends with). He also knew that she finally felt ready for another serious relationship, but was having trouble finding the right guy. Rachel wasn't lacking in looks or talent, but she was also extremely intense, so she required a certain type of man. Which was how Blaine ended up on the phone with Jesse St. James a few days later.

"So, let me get this straight, you want me to meet you after your rehearsal tonight and seduce this Rachel girl?" Jesse asked.

Blaine groaned. Jesse was his closest friend from college, but he could be infuriating sometimes. " _No_ Jesse I don't want you to _seduce_ her. I'm setting you up. We've been over this already. We're all going to go out for drinks together, and if things are going well between you two, I'll make an excuse to leave early so you can get to know her better. Are you still on for this? I really think you'll like her."

"Calm down Blaine. I was just giving you a hard time. Its honestly too easy. And yes, I'm still on. I've researched this Rachel girl and I think we would have excellent vocal chemistry."

"I'm setting you up to date her, not be her duet partner!" Blaine practically yelled into the phone.

"Vocal chemistry is essential to a successful relationship, between two stars. You need to be able to sing flirty duets."

Blaine couldn't argue with that especially as an image of him and Kurt singing "Baby Its Cold Outside" together flashed through his mind. _Calm down. You hardly know him. You've only talked to him once and texted a few times_ , he reminded himself. "Just meet at the theater at 5," he said to Jesse before hanging up in annoyance.


End file.
